In a soup pot, melt the butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the sliced mushrooms, cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato paste, sweet vermouth and chicken stock. Add the crumbled bacon.

Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Add a handful of gruyere cheese to each bowl and ladle hot soup over the cheese. Top with fresh parsley.

From Pam Wobrock

Simple Mushroom Curry

Makes 1 serving

½ large onion, finely chopped

Olive oil, for sauteing

6 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Saute onion in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add cumin, coriander, chili and turmeric and continue to cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water if the mixture becomes dry; do so 1 tablespoon at a time to avoid making the mixture too runny. Finally, add the mushrooms, tomato paste and salt.

You can add more water (anywhere from 3 tablespoons to ½ cup depending on the consistency that you personally want to achieve.)

Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the chopped fresh cilantro.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes.

In another saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute.

In another saucepan combine the wine and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and keep at a low simmer. Add the liquid to the rice one cup at a time, stirring constantly until each addition of liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the liquid until rice is creamy and al dente. Fold in the mushroom, Parmesan and black pepper.

Place porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water; let sit 30 minutes. Line a fine-mesh sieve with two layers of paper towel and set over another medium bowl; pour mushroom mixture through (towels will catch any grit from mushrooms). Set aside porcini mushrooms and soaking liquid.

Strain stock into a clean saucepan and keep warm over low heat (you should have about 6 cups).

NOTE: Stock can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat before using.

Paella and assembly:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch paella pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until they release their liquid, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are golden brown and tender, 5 to 7 minutes longer; season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.

Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan and cook onion, bell pepper, and poblano chile, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds; season with salt and pepper.

Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent, about three minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until completely evaporated, about two minutes. Return mushrooms to pan, stir in 1 teaspoon thyme, and add mushroom stock just to cover rice; season with salt and pepper. Cook, without stirring, adding broth as needed to keep rice moist while cooking, until rice is al dente and all liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. (Shake pan after adding more stock to distribute evenly.)

Continue to cook paella, occasionally moving pan around burner to make sure all areas get evenly heated, until a crust forms around the sides and bottom of the pan (rice will smell toasted and make a light crackling sound), 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until slightly wilted. Add ¼ cup water to skillet and cook kale, tossing, until completely wilted, about 5 minutes longer. Spoon over paella.

Make 4 shallow divots in the top of paella and crack an egg into each divot. Transfer pan to oven and cook paella until egg whites are just set, 8 to 10 minutes.

Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for 15 minutes, drain and reserve the liquid.

Boil the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large saucepan, lightly saute the garlic with the butter and oil for half a minute. Add the mushrooms, soaked porcini and the dried chili flakes, and cook for about two minutes, stirring well to combine.

Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and boil to reduce slightly.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the cream and season with salt and pepper. Return the cooked spaghetti to the pan and toss in the eggs and cream. Reheat, without boiling, and serve hot sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

From Helen Kromp

Mushroom Sliders

Makes 4 servings

2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon olive oil

8 small slider rolls, split and toasted

8 tomato slices

8 red onion slices

Optional: garlic and assorted herbs

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine mushrooms and oil/balsamic vinegar to taste. Close bag and gently toss until evenly coated. Marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Remove mushrooms to a plate and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat then coat with cooking spray.

Place mushrooms on grill pan and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, or until mushrooms are heated through.

Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Cut each mushroom into quarters.

If desired, sprinkle garlic and herbs on mushrooms. Top with mushrooms, tomato, onion and condiments of choice. Serve immediately.